Brake beam



Sept. 26, 1933. H. E. MUCHNIC BRAKE BEAM Filed May 26, 1930 2Sheets-Sheut l p 26, 1933- H. E. MUCHNIC BRAKE BEAM Filed May 26, 19302' ShetS-Sheet Z Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED, STATES PATENT,

BRAKE BEAM Henry E. Muclmic, Atchison, Kans., assignor to- TheLocomotive Finished Material Company, A tchi son, Kane, a corporation ofKansas Application May 26, 1930. Serial No. 455,482

' 3 Claims. (01'. 188-219) My invention relates to brake beams forrailstantially on the line 11.11.of Figure 10, as

road cars andhas for its object the provision of a one piece brake-beamwherein the compression member, the strut member, thetension member 5and the brake-shoe heads are all integrally formed,,thereby providing abrake-beam wherein the difficulties heretofore encountered through theloosening of the connections between the various members or elements ofvthe brake-beam are entirely obviated and a stronger and firmerconstruction'provided.

Another object of my invention is to provide a brake-beam which is notonly'adapted to heavier cars and loads asat present employed, but whichat the same time is provided with means for receiving and mounting theusual brake-lever, at

the requiredangularity or degree of angle necessary, whether for a rightor left'application.

Another object of the invention is also to pro ,fi vide a constructionwhich will permit of the by the arrows.

1 Figure 4-ls a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line4-4 of Figure 3, as viewed by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one end of a modified form of the brake-beam.

Figure '6 is a similar view of the portion'of brake-beam shown in Figure5, provided with a separate brake-shoe head secured thereto. I

Figure '7 is an end view of the construction A5 shown in Figure 6.

1 Figure '8 is a plan view of the intermediate or strut portion of thebrake beam, illustrating a modified form. V

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9of Figure 8, as viewed by the arrows. a

Figure 10 is a plan view of the intermediate portion of the brake-beamillustrating a further modification. v Figure 11 is a'detail' sectionalview taken subtype of brake-beam shown in Figure 1, are shown shoes, notshown.

OFFICE viewed by the arrows.

Brake-beams of different construction have been usedin an endeavor tomeet the heavier and ever increasing duties of railroad cars with theresult that brake-beams of certain known construction heretoforeemployed were found inadequate because of a tendency to flex andstretch. Because of lack of clearance between the wheels and the bolsteror the wheels and the spring planksv of the truck, recourse was had to atruss type of construction composed of separate members bolted orotherwise secured totgether. In operation, however, the fastenings orelements of such composite beams have a tendency to work loose andtherefore involve a considerable main-. tenance expense in keeping suchbrake-beams in proper working condition.

My invention is designed to provide a brakebeam, having the requisitestrength for present day duty, wherein the compression member 15,extending continuously from end to end, is formed integral at anintermediate point with the cen* tral strut member 16; while the ends ofthe compression member and the lower end of the strut member are formedintegral with the ends of the tension members 17, 1'7, see Figure 1. V

The outer longitudinal edge of the compression member 15 is preferablyprovided with a flange 18 disposed to opposite sides of the main portionof the compression member 15'; while the outer longitudinal edges of thetension members 1'1, 17' are likewise preferably provided with flanges19, disposed transversely to opposite sides of the main portion of thetension members.

These flanges along the outer longitudinal $111? I faces of the membersassist in providing a very rigid structure.

Y The ends of the compression member 15, of the 96 provided withbrake-shoe heads 20, 20, of proper construction adapted to receive theusual brake:

In the construction shown in Figure 1, the reenforcing flanges 18 and 19are continued into the marginal edges of the brake-shoe heads 20,

20, as shown in Figure 1. .i

The specific type of brake-beam shown in Figure 1 has the compressionmember 15, at points intermediate of the ends and the strut member 16;provided with the reduced or notched portions 21, 21 for the purpose of,receiving'suitable suspension means whereby the brake-beam may be'oscillatably secured to the truck-frame, or for the attachment of arelief spring. j

may be termed the inner side of the brake-beam. That is to say, thestrut member 16 is shown extending beyond the juncture of the strutmember and the tension members 17, 17, as shown at 27,

and the slot 26 extends entirely through to the 'end of this extension,thus providing an openended slot which permits easy insertion of the.usual lever of the foundation brake rigging (not shown).

The enlarged walls of the strut member 16 are provided withthetransversely disposed, registering holes 28, adapted to receive asuitable pivot pin for the lever of the foundation brake rigging; whilethe extensions 27 are shown provided with the registering holes 29'whichmay be employed for receiving suitable alternate suspension means.

The strut member 16, adjacent to the extension 27, is provided on oneside with a pair of, spaced lobes 30,, 30, and these lobes in turnprovided with registering holes 31 forthe purpose of receiving suitablesuspension means whereby the inner end or side of the brake-beam may besuspended in place.

The construction of brake-beam, as illustrated in'Figure 1, is adaptedto receive a foundation brake rigging lever disposed at right angles tothe brake-beam; and with the open ended slot in the strut member asshown, the positioning of the brake-beam relative to the lever is veryeasily accomplished; while the integral formation of all of the membersof the beam provides a brakebeam of great strength and rigidity.

In Figures 5 to 7, I illustrate a portion of a modified form of myintegral brake-beam, where in the one end of the compression member 32and a portion of a tension member33 are shown with the end of thecompression member 32 extended beyond the juncture with the tensionmember and given .a somewhat T-shape in cross-section for the, purposeof receiving a separate brakeshoe head 34; thelatterbeing shown providedwith a 'T-shaped slot adapted to receive a portion of the extended endof the compression member so as to have the brake-shoe head lap oppositeside of the end of the compression member, as shown in. Figure '7. Theextended end of the compression member is shown provided with a hole 35adapted to receive the rivet 36 whereby the brakeeshoe head is securedto the brake-beam, as shown in Figures 6 and '7. I

In Figure 8 I illustrate another modification of my improved brake-beam,in so far as the central strut member is concerned.

In this construction, the strut member 37, like in the previouslydescribed construction-is formed integral with the compression member 38and the tension members-39, 39; and the strut member formed with anenlarged wall portion 40. The enlarged portion 40 is arranged at anangle to the plane of the longitudinal axis of the strut, as shownm'oreclearly in Figure 9; it being understood .that thisenlar'gement alsoextends outwardly on the opposite side of. the strut at the same degreeof .angle. ,This enlarged portion is provided with an elongated slot 41,which likewise extends through the enlargement at a similar degree ofangle as shown. This slot 41 is designed to receive one of the levers ofthe foundation brake rigging not shown. The opposite sides of theenlarged portion 40 is shown provided substantially centrally. with aboss formation 42 arranged intermediate of the ends of the slottedenlargement 40; and this boss formation 42 is provided with a hole 43adapted to receive a pin whereby a lever of the foundation brake riggingis pivotally secured to the brake-beam.

The strut 37, like strut 16 in Figure 1, is also preferably shownextended beyond the juncture with the tension members 39, 39; and thisextension 44 is slotted, as shown at 45, to receive a suitable alternatesuspension means therebetween; the bifurcations of the extension 44being provided with pin or bolt receiving holes 46.

The inner end of extension 44 is also shown provided with laterallydisposed apertured lobes 47 (similar to lobes 30) for the purpose ofprovid-- ing a suitable point of attachment of the suspension meanswhereby the brake-beam'is swingingly suspended from the car truck frame.

The type of brake-beamillustrated in Figure 8 is adapted for aright-hand application of the foundation brake rigging lever.

In Figures 10 and 11 I show a further modification of the strut member48, which, like the previously described structures, is integrallyformed with the compression member 49 and with the tension members 50,50, of which only portions are shown. The strut member 48 is formed withan enlargement 51 of size and width suflicient to enable it to beprovided with a pair of intersecting slots 52, 53, thus adapting thebrake-beam for either a right or a left hand application of thefoundation brake-rigging lever and thus obviating the necessity ofmaking and carrying in stock separate brake-beams for the two methods ofbrake-lever mountings. That is to say, the slot 52 is adapted for aright-hand application of brake-lever, while slot 53 is adapted for alefthand application of the brake-lever of the foundation brake-rigging.

In order that the brake-lever may have proper pivotal mounting on thebrake-beam in keeping with the angularity or inclination of the slots, Iprefer to provide the enlargement 51, with the two pair of lobes 54 and55, which are apertured to receive a suitable pivot pin for the levers.

The strut member 48, like in the other constructions, is preferablyprovided with suspension means receiving apertured lobes 56; and alsoprovided witha bifurcated or longitudinally slotted extension 5'7, whichis apertured to receive a pin or bolt whereby alternate suspension meansmay be secured to the brake-beam.

The ends of the compression members 38 and 49 of the constructions shownin Figures 8 and 10 may either be made like that shown in Figure 5 toreceive a separately formed brake-shoe head, or the ends may be madewith integral brake-shoe heads, as shown in Figure 1.

I have shown various forms of my invention which I believe are the bestembodiments thereof; having described the same in terms employed merelyas terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structuralmodifications are possible and may be made without, however, depart ingfrom the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is;

1. A brake-beam comprising integrally formed compression, strut andtension members; the strut being provided with a pair of intersectingcompremion, strut and tension members; the strut being enlarged andprovided with a pair of intersecting slots arranged at similar butoppositely disposed angles to the horizontal axis of the strut to adaptthe brake-beam to a right or left hand application of the foundationbrake-rigging lever; the enlarged portion of the strut on opposite sidesof each slot being provided with a pair of apertured lobes for receivingthe fulcrum pin of the lever.

' HENRY E. MUCHNIC.

